In the prior art of consumer-use carbonation systems as, for example, in those environments other than commercial soda dispensing locations, it is necessary to hand-fill the tank or water container, typically using tap water and moving the tap water into the carbonation chamber of the carbonating system.
The difficulty with this approach is that the temperature of the water to be carbonated is not as low as is desirable for optimal and cost-effective carbonation in that carbonation of water becomes more difficult in direct relation to temperature.
A further shortcoming of the prior art lies in the process of filling, typically by hand, of the water-containing carbonation chamber. This step gives rise to considerable ranges in the level to which the chamber may be filled. As is known in the art of providing carbonation to water, if the water carbonation chamber is over-filled, there will not exist sufficient available volume within the chamber to permit the input of gas or to facilitate the dispersal of the carbonation within the vessel. Conversely, if the vessel is not sufficiently filled with water, the carbonating gas, typically carbon dioxide, will not be efficiently employed, i.e., it will be wasted.
Also, there has not existed in the prior art a portable cold water dispensing system, such as the type typically used in many offices, homes and businesses which has, combined therein, a self-carbonating capability. Further, such a capability has not existed with on-line water fountains or in cold-water dispensing refrigerators.
The most related art known to the inventor comprises U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,509,569; 4,564,126; and 4,588,536, all to Adolfsson which patents relate to systems for supplying gas to a container held liquid.